Short answer

Design leaders and educators must actively foster a culture of research integrity by openly discussing ethical practices with mentees and providing robust training on research methodology.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: PLoS ONE (2018)
Method: Survey-based quantitative research
Sample: 207 participants
Evidence: Strong effect

The attitudes of supervisors towards questionable research practices (QRPs) directly and indirectly shape students' own acceptance and use of these methods, highlighting the critical role of mentorship in fostering research integrity. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2018 study published in PLoS ONE. Using Survey-based quantitative research with 207 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design leaders and educators must actively foster a culture of research integrity by openly discussing ethical practices with mentees and providing robust training on research methodology.

Study

Innovation & DesignHigh ImpactStrong effect

Supervisor attitudes significantly influence student adoption of questionable research practices

PLoS ONE · 2018

Key Findings

01Students' own attitudes towards QRPs were the strongest predictor of their use of QRPs.
02Perceived supervisor attitudes towards QRPs had both a direct influence on student QRP use and an indirect influence by shaping student attitudes.
03Motivation to write a good thesis acted as a protective factor against QRP use.
04Students reported more QRPs related to data reporting and analysis than to study design.

Application

Design takeaway

Design leaders and educators must actively foster a culture of research integrity by openly discussing ethical practices with mentees and providing robust training on research methodology.

How to apply

When mentoring junior researchers or students on design projects, actively discuss ethical considerations and demonstrate best practices in data collection, analysis, and reporting.

Project actions

01Clearly define what constitutes ethical research practices for your design project.
02Seek feedback from mentors or peers on your research methodology to ensure integrity.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate the prevalence of questionable research practices (QRPs) among students, explore their attitudes towards these practices, and determine the influence of perceived supervisor attitudes on student behavior.

MethodSurvey-based quantitative research

Procedure207 psychology students and recent graduates completed self-report questionnaires assessing their use of QRPs, their attitudes towards QRPs, their beliefs about significant results, their motivation and stress levels, and their perception of their supervisors' attitudes towards QRPs.

Sample207 participants

ContextAcademic research in psychology

Variables

IV["Perceived supervisor attitudes towards QRPs","Student attitudes towards QRPs","Motivation to write a good thesis"]

DV["Prevalence of QRP use","Attitudes towards QRPs"]

CV["Stress levels","Belief that significant results constitute better science or lead to better grades"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Investigated a critical but under-researched area of research integrity.
+Examined both individual and supervisory factors influencing QRPs.

Limitations

The findings are based on self-reported data, which might not perfectly reflect actual behavior. The study focused on psychology students, so the results might differ in other fields.

Reliability & validity

The study's reliability could be assessed by the consistency of self-reported QRP use and attitudes across participants. Validity is supported by the finding that supervisor attitudes predict student attitudes, aligning with theoretical expectations of social influence.

Think critically

To what extent do the findings on QRPs in academic research translate to the pressures and practices within industry design settings?

Design Principles

"Research integrity is cultivated through explicit guidance and positive role modeling from experienced practitioners."

In design practice, the ethical conduct of research is paramount for generating reliable insights and building trust with stakeholders. Understanding how mentorship influences research integrity can help institutions develop better training programs and support systems for emerging researchers, ensuring that future design projects are built on a foundation of sound methodology.

What This Means for Your Design

If a student's teacher or mentor seems okay with bending research rules, the student is more likely to bend them too. Being motivated to do a good job helps prevent this.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of ethical considerations in your research methodology section, particularly if you encountered any challenges or made specific choices to ensure research integrity.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The integrity of research findings in design projects is significantly influenced by the ethical standards promoted by mentors. Research indicates that students' adoption of questionable research practices is strongly predicted by their own attitudes, which are in turn shaped by perceived supervisor attitudes. Therefore, fostering a culture of ethical research through clear guidance and positive role modeling from supervisors is essential for ensuring the validity of design research.

Source

PLoS ONE

Questionable research practices in student final theses – Prevalence, attitudes, and the role of the supervisor’s perceived attitudes

journal · 2018

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about supervisor attitudes significantly influence student adoption of questionable research practices?: Design leaders and educators must actively foster a culture of research integrity by openly discussing ethical practices with mentees and providing robust training on research methodology. Evidence: PLoS ONE (2018).
Why does "Supervisor attitudes significantly influence student adoption of questionable research practices" matter for design?: In design practice, the ethical conduct of research is paramount for generating reliable insights and building trust with stakeholders. Understanding how mentorship influences research integrity can help institutions develop better training programs and support systems for emerging researchers, ensuring that future design projects are built on a foundation of sound methodology.
How can designers apply this research?: Design leaders and educators must actively foster a culture of research integrity by openly discussing ethical practices with mentees and providing robust training on research methodology.
What were the main findings?: Students' own attitudes towards QRPs were the strongest predictor of their use of QRPs.. Perceived supervisor attitudes towards QRPs had both a direct influence on student QRP use and an indirect influence by shaping student attitudes.. Motivation to write a good thesis acted as a protective factor against QRP use.. Students reported more QRPs related to data reporting and analysis than to study design.
What research method was used?: Survey-based quantitative research with 207 participants.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2018 journal from PLoS ONE.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When mentoring junior researchers or students on design projects, actively discuss ethical considerations and demonstrate best practices in data collection, analysis, and reporting.
What are the limitations?: Self-report data may be subject to social desirability bias. The study was conducted within a specific academic discipline (psychology), which may limit generalizability to other fields.